Storm the Heavens

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Rabbi Avi Shafran
STORM THE HEAVENS

http://www.jewishworldreview.com | Whatever your plans may be
for the afternoon of Thursday, February 20, please set aside
some time to help protect the civilized world and the Jewish
people.

A group of esteemed rabbinical figures in the Orthodox world—
the Council of Torah Sages—has asked the Jewish community to
unite in prayer that afternoon, in light of the world situation
in general and, in particular, the specific threat to Jews,
here in the United States, in Europe and in Israel.

The members of the council, the highest rabbinic body of the
Orthodox movement Agudath Israel of America, are highly
respected throughout the Orthodox world, and other Orthodox
organizations, like the Orthodox Union and the Rabbinical
Council of America, have followed suit and asked their
affiliated congregations and rabbis to take the call to
spiritual arms to heart. Members of non-Orthodox and Jewish
public service groups who heard about the declaration have
also declared their intention to join the effort. Every
heartfelt prayer is invaluable.

What the Council has asked is that Jews gather in their
synagogues—or simply take the opportunity at home or
work—to pray Mincha, the traditional afternoon service—
and then to recite several Psalms (the request specifies
chapters, 13, 43, 44, 79, 80, 83, 102, 121,130 and 142)
and the special "V'hu rachum"—"He, the Merciful One"
prayer traditionally recited on Monday and Thursday mornings,
in a heartfelt manner. Those who are unable to pray in Hebrew
should pray in whatever language they speak. Those who are
able, they suggested further, should fast from the morning
until approximately 1:00 P.M. (the "Mincha Gedola" time,
the earliest time for the Mincha service, which varies
somewhat in different cities).

Word of the request spread electronically since the 11th,
when it was made; its text has already appeared in several
Jewish weeklies, and Jewish leaders and institutions across
the country and around the world have expressed their
intention of being part of the mass "prayer-gathering at a
distance."

The rabbis' request begins with words from Maimonides,
stressing the importance of crying out to G-d at times of
danger. To do less, the great Jewish thinker explains, is
"cruel-hearted," because prayer evidences our belief that
G-d rules the world, and so refraining from prayer implies
the opposite. And, as G-d tells us in His Torah: "If you
walk with Me with indifference [the attitude that all is
happenstance, the commentaries explain]—then I will walk
with you. in the same manner [leaving your plight as if to
happenstance]. (Leviticus, 26)."

Thus, the Council beseeches us: "At this hour, with the danger
of war hovering over us, and powerful evildoers threatening
the remnant of the Jewish People in Eretz Yisroel and in the
Diaspora, and the entire civilized world. how can we not
tremble and our hearts not melt? How can we not raise our
prayers in supplication to our Father in Heaven?"

There are precious few opportunities with the potential to
unite Jews of different walks of life, political beliefs and
congregational affiliations. But prayer—for ourselves, for
our fellow Jews and for the world—is certainly one of them.

According to our religious tradition, the time of the Mincha
prayer—the afternoon—is a special one, particularly
auspicious for effective intercession with the Almighty. Let
us all, wherever and whoever we are, storm the heavens on
February 20. And may we successfully merit G-d's compassion
and forgiveness.

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